about apw live

This is a project my sister and I have been discussing lately, and we've decided to collaborate and provide you guys with some covers of our favourite songs for your listening pleasure! It's also a great way for me to get my lyric translations out there, and great fun, so why not?

I love listening to covers because it's a way for me to relax; being an album reviewer, listening to songs becomes more than just listening to the melody and enjoying it. It's a continual analysing of each and every component of the song; the arrangement, the melody, the lyrics, the vocal technique, the concept and how it all fits together. With listening to covers for me I love that it's simple and brings everything back to basics, just enough to allow me a taste of the initial enjoyment that I got from that certain song, as well as allowing me to widen my horizons in terms of how the song can be altered to make it different, or maybe even better in some ways.

A big thank you goes out to my wonderful sister who's been collaborating with me on this project and encouraging its development from day one. She's an extremely talented guitarist both in mainstream and classical technique and I am honoured to collaborate with her on many, if not all of the APW live projects that we will be putting out on the Asian Pop Weekly youtube channel.

She's currently part of this reputable guitar ensemble; check it out if you're keen! : https://www.facebook.com/guitarstrophe

Also don't forget to like, share and subscribe if you like our first video and rendition of Kimberley Chen's <Ai Ni>(Love you): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmdH2pvg7tgcjveDUIKfSig

lyric videos

On our new Youtube page we'll also be uploading awesome lyric videos with our translations to make reading the translations that much easier for you guys. Don't forget to check out the origianl cover art for each of our works too! So far, feast your eyes and ears on Bai Ann's <What is it that let me meet you> and G.E.M's <Bubble> lyric videos!~

We really hope you enjoy this new addition to our score of projects; please support us by liking, sharing and subscribing to our channel!

ALBUM CONCEPTUsing growth as a theme in her music, Rainie is no longer restricted. Give her a journey and she will let you see, listen, and remember sounds that were long before forgotten. The space between two cities, from personalities to emotions; from simplicity to complexity. Beginning from what is within, where has Rainie’s observation led her to focus on? What kind of self are you searching for? And in others’ eyes, what kind of Rainie do they see? Give Rainie 12 hours of time difference, 14 hours of travel time and what she gives you in return is her metamorphosis. In the year of 2014, hear her ten newest works; every single song has its own memories and imagery that has been left inside. Sometimes cold, independently finishing the road that you have chosen elegantly, but at other times passionate and crazy, wanting to just go with the flow, exchanging burdens for a real smile. Growth…simplicity…it in itself is not that simple. Although we cannot truly understand what is love before beginning to love, but we can begin to understand Rainie, and begin to understand what is love and what is not, like the two faces of a mask. Rainie has used one and a half years to prepare this album; with the help of many creative people, she has been able to see a side of herself she has never before seen, “dian shui”(ordering water) is a song that lala Hsu wrote especially for Rainie. Through Lala’s works, we can hear and understand Rainie’s repression and her wanting to give it all up for love in a complex dichotomy of emotions; rainie’s brave protection of a relationship shows her softer side, and is also the side that shows her resolve to hold burdens by herself. <A Tale of Two Rainie>is rainie’s internal world, and is also reflective of the feelings that both you and I feel in love.

Taken from Rainie's official press release statement for her album (translated).

Rainie is finally releasing her new album after a long break, and this time around she and a group of 10 people have travelled to New York in order to help her find inspiration, and also to create her new image for this album, which is stunning in its entirety. Her first single <ordering water>(点水) is written especially for her by friend Lala Hsu, who heard Rainie's story of mistakenly telling a friend about her true feelings for him, but afterwards telling him that she was mistaken in doing so as she was drunk, despite them being her true feelings. Won't you listen to her story too?

Rainie's new album <Two Sided Rainie>(雙丞戲) will be released on the 12th of December, 2014.

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Does this name sound familiar to you? Maybe not...Maggie Fu is back after a 13-year long hiatus from the music scene, this time with a whole new image and even a new stage name (傅又宣fu you xuan). With the help of friends and kind souls, she's put together this 6-song EP featuring songs written by the likes of producer Skot Suyama, golden melody award-winning singer and friend Penny Dai, as well as inviting the likes of lyricist Vincent Fang and other well-known creative types!

A few of you might recognise the first single on her album as it's currently topping the KKBOX charts as of now; it's called <爱，这件事情>(This thing called love), and is written by long-time friend and producer Skot Suyama and Christine Welch (who has also recently released her debut album)! Lyrics were written by famed lyricist to the stars (most notably Jay Chou), Vincent Fang. It is also one of the songs on the soundtrack for a Taiwanese-Korean drama called <Doctor Stranger>.

Her second single <情时多雨>(Rain in times of passion)stars actor Wen Shu Hao as the male lead, and is written by 張簡君偉 zhang jian jun wei, a known composer on the scene, with lyrics by 易家揚 yi jia yang, also an accomplished lyricist.The song is also on the soundtrack for the Korean drama <Cunning Single Lady>airing on Taiwanese channels right now!

The third single she's released so far was written for her by good friend and golden melody award winning chanteuse Penny Dai, and is really worth a listen!

Interested in having a listen to her EP now? Stand a chance to win a copy of it in our #musicisuniversal giveaway that kicked off a couple of days ago! All you need to do is Like our Facebook page, share our giveaway post (as below), and message us with you Name, Email Address, Who your favourite artist is and why, and any preference you may have for the prizes!

For the full set of instructions check out our giveaway page:http://asianpopweekly.weebly.com/apw-giveaway-competition.html

Many of you will be familiar with the fast-talking, easily angered host of one of Taiwan’s most popular variety shows;Kangxi Lai Le, which is hosted by none other than actress, and host Xiao S! But what you don’t know about her is that she is also a talented singer and songwriter. However, not to fear as all will be revealed in her new EP elephant DEE which will be released on the 12th of December 2014! The EP will have 5 songs that are all composed and with lyrics written by Dee herself. The album is also produced by a slew of known producers, such as singer/resident rock chick Mavis Fan, as well as Chen Jian Qi (he’s worked with Wsa Wei prominently before), as well as hong jing wan!THE STORY BEHIND HER STAGE NAMEThe reason why Dee chose Elephant Dee as her stage name was because elephants are her favourite animal (fans will know that she has one tattooed on her wrist), thus making her name Elephant Dee! The name is as unexpected as her musical style; a combination of blues, soft rock and other alternative genres. Her first single <Blue> shows us a completely different side to Dee, who’s personality onscreen and musically seem to be worlds apart! But here we see a side of Dee that is not only talented, but also sensual and creative, and I’m happy to see this new side of her appear after many years of wondering what her music style would be like! Congratulations on the new EP Dee, I hope it’s successful!Elephant Dee will be released on the 12th of December by Asia Muse Entertainment.Check out her first single <Blue> below: